7 Top College Courses Parents Want on a Nanny's Resume

Choosing who to hire to take care of your children and household is obviously a difficult decision. Along with checking backgrounds and references, an important first step for parents is to take a close look at qualifications. For an applicant without a strong resume, another way to determine qualifications is by examining completed college courses.

1. Child Welfare, Safety, and First Aid. Listing this class on a resume is probably the most important, in order to ease a parent’s mind. Knowledge of child safety procedures is paramount for a nanny’s job. It doesn’t matter if the class was taken at a community college or a university. In the curriculum, the class should cover CPR, first aid, and other safety and injury prevention guidance.
2. Nutrition and Healthy Living. Not only do parents want to be confident that their children are safe in the care of a nanny, but that they are also eating healthy. Preparing meals is a duty often required for full-time nannies. If a nanny intends to feed your children potato chips and ice cream while they watch television all day, I doubt you would want to hire that person.
3. Child Development. A child development class teaches students about the various emotional, physical, and mental developments of a child. A nanny should be aware of children’s learning strategies and expected mental capacity at the various stages of life. These classes will often cover information on children with mental and physical disabilities.
4. Early Childhood Studies. Younger children have different needs and require more supervision than older children. If parents have toddlers or preschoolers, an early childhood development class is a big plus on a resume. The curriculum will typically include the developmental stages and patterns of children under the age of 5 or 6.
5. Behavioral Modification. A college course about child behavior can help a nanny understand why a child is misbehaving. Although parents will have their own rules when it comes to discipline, it is important that a nanny is aware of the various behavioral modifications available to discipline a misbehaving child.
6. Language Development. Communication is essential for relating to a child. Knowledge of language development not only helps in daily conversation, but it guides the nanny on the reading or speaking level of a child. A nanny who understands the language level will have much better success when talking or reading to a child.
7. Educational Psychology or Elementary Education Courses. A degree or classes in early or elementary education are a huge plus on a nanny’s resume. Having a background in educational courses contributes to the home learning environment while the parents are away. A nanny who has an understanding on how to teach a child can contribute to an effective day of learning.

While a college degree is not necessary to be a well-qualified nanny, it certainly helps if the candidate has the foundational skills required to manage a household with children. Having some relevant college courses can help increase parents’ confidence on the hiring decision.

Taken From Nanny Jobs